Wednesday, August 1, 2012

The Hodgepodge Has it All-Volume 87

Welcome to the Wednesday Hodgepodge. So glad you played along today...add your link to the bottom of my post and then hop round to the neighboring countries. Here are my answers-


1. I'm joining my daughter1 in the 101 in 1001 challenge. Essentially you create a list of 101 things you want to accomplish or do in the next 1001 days. What's one thing you'd put on your list?

Make a trip back to London.
No one is actually surprised to see this on my list are they?

You'll find my whole list here.

2. How many remote controls do you have in your house? What's one item in your home you wish could be run by remote control?

I think we have four-three televisions and our Bose radio. Oh and the Wii so that's five. There may be more lurking around here somewhere but those are the ones we use. Wait...our garages open via remote control and there are three of those so I guess that brings the total to eight.

This question definitely falls under the category of first world problems.

As far as what I wish had a remote? I'm going with the iron. Then I wouldn't drive away from the house wondering if I'd turned it off. I could just hit the remote.

3. What does having it all mean to you? Is it attainable?

For as long as I can remember I've wanted to be a wife and mother. In that sense I feel like I have it all, like there isn't a single thing missing. Along the way I've also had a career of sorts, but that was always secondary to the other bigger, truer me. I could have poured my heart and soul and brain into a career but those parts of me were completely claimed by growing girls and a husband with a lot of ambition in his own career track. I know I would have felt a constant sense of conflict within myself and a nagging discontent in my soul. For the record, I have a lot of education and I don't feel like I've wasted anything. I have never resented the focus on my hubs career and feel an enormous amount of pride in his accomplishments. I have been a part of them, albeit behind the scenes.

It seems today like the pendulum has swung again, and instead of explaining why you want to work and raise a family you have to explain why you don't want to work...you have to constantly justify why making a home and raising a family is your life's ambition, and an acceptable one at that. I know women who are driven by their career aspirations. I think many women are driven by something else and both are okay.

So, is it attainable? Yes. It just depends on your definition of having it all.

4. What's your favorite movie soundtrack?

Elizabethtown, Almost Famous, and Saturday Night Fever

5. Describe the best view you've seen from a rooftop?

I am all about a great view so choosing just one is tough. The view down into Central Park from the Mandarin Hotel, the view down into the city of Oxford from any one of a number of fabulous rooftops, and the view down into Venice from atop St. Mark's Cathedral. Those are some of my faves.

6. What's your least favorite thing about summer?

mosquitos

7. Our weekly Hodgepodge lands on the first day of August. In ten words or less sum up your July.


8. Insert your own random thought here.

This is one of the most beautiful versions of Amazing Grace I've ever heard. I'm slightly addicted...


30 comments:

  1. I just love your answer to #3. I stayed at home for eight years and was constantly justifying why we were struggling to make ends meet each month when I was "smart enough" to get a good job. Though I'm teaching now, I still feel that pull toward home and would give it up if I won the lottery. I love being able to give 100% of my attention to my family and my abode.

    Kudos to you for your choices!!

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  2. I agree with you on #3. Things sure have changed, now people look at you differently if you don't work. I think your decision was the right one, and you deserve just as much recognition for your husband's success. You know what they say about what's behind a successful man....
    I like that rendition of Amazing Grace a lot. :)

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  3. My iron will turn itself off if I leave it on.

    I always hate when people ask where do you work. What is your answer? I would love to know.

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  4. Love your answer to #3 as well. SAHM never should feel bad for doing so and working moms should NEVER feel bad for doing so. We all have choices we need to make.

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  5. "Saturday Night Fever" one of my favorites also. Mosquitoes have been terrible here! Love Brian Crain's version of Amazing Grace.

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  6. Forgot about garage remotes plus we have gas fireplace remotes and a fan remote yikes! Love Amazing Grace!! Happy Wednesday!

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  7. I too love your answer to #3. I feel just like you do about my decision for my life's path - and I have absolutely NO regrets! but, I remember the days early on when I was constantly justifying being at home. (I have blogged about it - for my daughters to know.)

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  8. #3 is quite a bit like my answer....
    But ---

    You iron? Oh my, that's a four letter word in our house.

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  9. I think your remote control for the iron is a great idea. I have to make a special point of turning the iron off, then looking at it and 'mindfully' saying aloud, 'Okay, it's OFF.' A remote control, as long as it had a looooong range, would be terrific.

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  10. Saturday Night Fever is a great soundtrack, especially great for exercising too. I forgot about the garage door remotes.

    Fun questions this week Joyce. Thanks.

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  11. That was the most relaxing version of Amazing Grace I've ever heard...beautiful

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  12. I'll put that trip to London on my list too. :)
    Loved the beautiful version of Amazing Grace. I listened to it shortly after your post went up, during my prayer time. A blessing. Thanks for sharing.

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  13. Loved the questions, loved your daughters blog, loved your answers. I never lived there...but love England...Ireland, Wales, and hope someday to visit Scotland. I would love to spend two weeks in ireland writing. Waterville would be my choice. I agree with you on Amazing Grace. It was awesome.

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  14. Lovely version of Amazing Grace.

    You iron?? The only ironing I do is when I'm piecing together quilt tops. ;-)

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  15. Hmmm, me thinks I shall have to add "Go see the view of Venice from the top of St Mark's cathedral" to my list! Sounds amazing!!

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  16. I like your number 3 too.
    I have always worked at home a little, but it was not a priority and I did not regret devoting less time to it.
    If I had done a poor job at mothering I would have regretted it until my dying day.

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  17. Gee I didn't even count Wii or garage door openers and I was already at 12. Yes, Saturday Night Fever was a great soundtrack! Beautiful version of Amazing Grace.

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  18. You could write a post just about having to explain to some people why you choose not to work! It boggles my mind the way some people view stay-at-home mothers/homemakers.

    I forgot about the soundtrack to Saturday Night Fever--that one trumps "O Brother Where Art Thou"! Oh those were the days, weren't they :)

    Thanks for another great set of questions!

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  19. Hi Joyce,
    I've got a 101 list. You inspired me so you can mark that one off. lol Saturday Night Fever is a good one. Have a great day!

    Sherrie
    Food for Thoughthttp://100sweets.blogspot.com/2012/08/wednesday-hodgepodge.html

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  20. My driving desire through life has also been to be a wife and mother, so I'm definitely living the dream! : )

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  21. Hi Joyce, I tried to re-link, but it would not let me. It said you can't post twice to avoid spam. I will try to change the link on my post. Hope it works. Sorry for the mess. :)

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  22. I enjoyed your answers and feel exactly as you do about being a wife and mother...Mosquitos was a good answer to #6 and I would add WASPS to that too. I am the Wasp Magnet. They seek me out. Just sayin. . .

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  23. I always love reading your answers, Joyce! And I think a trip back to London should definitely be on the books!

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  24. Nope. Not a single soul is surprised to see London on your list! :) I'm like you- I have a lot of education too but chose to be a homemaker and raise the lovelies. Would I do it differently if I could do it all over again? Absolutely not. I thoroughly enjoyed being a mom to those girls while they were growing up. And I love it now too. Even though they all grew up and left me. ;) The mosquitoes haven't been too bad for over a month now, so I put the oppressive heat as my answer---which was the one of my answers that surprises no one. LOL

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  25. Saturday Night Fever is a great one too. I love your answer for #3- another one is when someone says I am wasting my education by staying at home! I don't think so ;)

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  26. Loved your answers! See you next week!

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  27. Enjoyed your answers. And love the 101 idea... I will let you know if I come up with my list. Beautiful Amazing Grace... that song always brings tears to my eyes!
    until next time... nel

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  28. Iron? You actually iron? ;-)
    Thanks for hosting!!

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  29. I'm really thinking of putting together a 101 list. It's a good challenge and I love a good challenge!

    I love your idea for a remote. I love anything that give me a safety safety net. :)

    I totally agree that mosquitoes are the bane of being warm for me. They love my marinara blood!

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